There are three types of heat sources that are especially exasperating for firefighters at this time of the year, and there are special precautions for each:
1. PORTABLE HEATERS
Plug portable heaters directly into wall outlets. Never use an extension cord or power strip.
Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
Keep anything that can burn, such as bedding, clothing and curtains at least 3 feet from the heater.
Turn heaters off at bedtime or when leaving the room.
2. FIREPLACES
Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out and starting a fire.
Do not burn paper in the fireplace or use accelerants like lighter fluid or charcoal lighter fluid.
Before going to sleep or leaving home, completely put out the fire.
Put ashes in a metal container with a lid. Store the container outside at least 3 feet from your home.
3. WOOD STOVES
Have chimneys inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the stove.
Do not burn paper in a wood stove or use accelerants like lighter fluid or charcoal lighter fluid.
Before going to sleep or leaving home, completely put out the fire.
GVFD warns that there is an “invisible killer” that sometimes comes with these and other types of heating sources--Carbon Monoxide (CO). CO is a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas that kills more than 150 people in the U.S. every year. Accidental CO poisoning can come from generators or fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces. Breathing CO at high levels can kill you. GVFD recommends placing CO alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of increasing CO levels.
Place alarms in central areas, outside each bedroom, and on every level of your home.
-Do not ignore the alarm
-All people and pets should quickly evacuate the home and find fresh air
-Call 911 immediately and report that the alarm has gone off
-Do not assume it is safe to reenter the home when the alarm stops. When you open windows and doors, it helps diminish the amount of carbon monoxide in the air, but the source may still be producing gas. The levels can build up again once you go back inside and close the windows
-Have the emergency responder check for the source of carbon monoxide and determine if it is safe for you to return to your home
GVFD encourages placing smoke alarms on every level of a home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas, and then test them every month. Residents should also have a home fire escape plan and practice those plans at least twice a year. “Make sure everyone knows how to escape your home if there is a fire,” Hohon emphasized.
For further questions or more information, please contact Granbury Volunteer Fire Department Administrative Assistant Heather Wall at hwalls@granbury.org or 817-579-1111. 
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